In recent years, various types of games have been provided through networks. Such games include social network games that are provided on social network services (SNS).
Technologies for managing the status of characters (game characters) that appear in such games have been sought (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-87543, for example). In the technology disclosed in the document, when a game character is attacked from another game character, an accumulated damage is calculated as a value of a parameter indicating the status of the game character. A motion reproduction sequence is determined according to a stress value, which is recovered when time elapses after the game character is damaged.
Further, technologies for increase interest of each user by synergistic effects between users have also been sought (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2013-163030, for example). A server disclosed in this document stores a plurality of pieces of first property data in association with each user, and stores second property data in association with each group to which the plurality of pieces of first property data belong. In a case where a predetermined event occurs while a first user is playing a game, the server selects another user, and makes a determination for each group whether all the property data belonging to the group is contained in a first property data set that includes the first property data associated with the first user and the first property data associated with the other user. The server takes a predetermined action to a group that includes all the property data belonging to the group as a result of the determination among the first property data set based on the second property data associated with the group in addition to the property data contained in the first property data set.
Also, technologies for motivating a user watching an online game to support another user who is playing the game (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2013-63296, for example). A server disclosed in this document determines whether a specific condition is satisfied based on support information. In a case where the specific condition is satisfied, the server cancels a limitation on execution of a specific command. In a case where the execution of the specific command is not limited, the server causes the specific command to be executed based on operation information from a player.
As disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-87543, the status of the game character is changed as time elapses. As disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2013-163030, a plurality of users may cooperate with each other in a game. As disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2013-63296, the support to another user may be needed.
However, in a case where many applications are supplied, these applications may be separately managed. For example, in a case where the respective applications are supplied from different providers, each provider cannot know the status of the applications managed by other providers. Therefore, in a case where a specific application is used, the user cannot know whether the status in another application is changed. For example, in a case where the user cannot know the life recovery status of a game character, it is difficult to play the game timely. Further, in a case where the user cannot promptly know a request (such as a support request) for cooperation from another user, it is difficult to deal with such a request properly.
Further, when using a first application such as a game, the user may retrieve a notification through an electronic mail or the like. In this case, the user needs to activate a second application (for example, a mailer or the like) for displaying the notification in addition to the first application in use. In this case, the user may miss the notification, or may need to take time and effort to activate the second application.